When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
My C5 has factory painted red brake calipers. There are a couple spots where the paint is chipped off. If I choose to repaint the calipers:
• Will standard caliper paint work on top of already painted calipers?
• How do I get the Corvette lettering unpainted perfectly, or perfectly painted white?
I've included a photo a found on this forum. The photo is an example of what I want to do with my brake calibers in terms of keeping the lettering looking as good as the example photo below.
This is not my car but this is an example of what I am describing with the lettering on the front brake caliber.
Use G2 caliper paint. Really good stuff. And as far as the lettering. U have to completely cover them in paint also. So u won't see in between the lettering. When the paint is dry u use a razor blade to shave off just the surface paint off the lettering. Mine came out perfect.
What I find that works better than a razor is a file. Gives the lettering a bright look as it's fresh raw metal exposed. If somebody wanted to go a step further then could then sand the lettering down to 800 grit and polish the surface.
I just used some med grit wet and dry sandpaper on a sanding block.
Just takes a few strokes to remove the paint. But I suggest you mask each side of the letters before you sand......just in case you slip.
I just used some med grit wet and dry sandpaper on a sanding block.
Just takes a few strokes to remove the paint. But I suggest you mask each side of the letters before you sand......just in case you slip.
Same here...120 grit emery cloth wrapped around a wood block.
works ever time
Wow! and thanks. Excellent suggestions. When you guys did your calipers, were you doing the work on top of already painted calipers, or were you painting bare metal?
Same here...120 grit emery cloth wrapped around a wood block.
works ever time
Me too. The file method works great and you just need to keep it in full contact with the letters so you don’t damage your work on the rest of the brake.
Another trick is to rub some chapstick on the letters, then spray the paint. When your done and the paint is dry, you just wipe the lettering back off. Done it twice on mine and worked perfect.
I used high heat engine paint (spray) and painted my letters black. Easy to paint the letters because they are raised for a custom look.
Is high heat engine paint any better than caliper paint? How long ago did you do this to your calipers (looks great BTY), and how has it held up since the initial painting?
Another trick is to rub some chapstick on the letters, then spray the paint. When your done and the paint is dry, you just wipe the lettering back off. Done it twice on mine and worked perfect.
the chapstick trick works well with G2 paint as well.
I used a single cut flat file to expose the letters. If one holds it perfectly flat against the letters, the single cut teeth leave a nice shiny smooth surface. My only concern with chapstick is if any gets over the side of the letters, and with painting, i found that a paint pen works better for me than a brush.
Please excuse the 3 months of dust and moisture, between the weather and reworking my interior we have not been mobile in a long while, or clean. BTW, the color is a Honda teal from the 90’s, and it’s just regular body paint that was made at a local body supply.
On my recent Jaguar XK8 I used sign painters red called "one shot" and used a high quality brush. This paint is made to withstand exterior weather and heat. I sprayed the unpainted caliper with "Brakclean" beforehand.
Last edited by grantorino; Feb 11, 2018 at 09:47 PM.
Unless your planning to track your car you don't really need to use high temp paint. I brush painted the calipers on my 99 with Rust-Oleum 7762830 Gloss Sunrise Red and it lasted for over a decade and 70k miles with occasional touch-ups. I didn't even remove the calipers, painted them while mounted. The 99 was Torch Red and the Sunrise Red matched very well on the calipers.
When I sold my 99 after buying and bought my 03 50th Anniversary I used Rust-Oleum 7768830 Gloss Burgundy on my calipers and again the color match was plenty close for calipers. Neither ever bubbled or flaked off in thousands of normal driving miles.
I autocross the car several times during the summer. I put racing pads on the car the day before the events. Yeah, the brakes get a lot of work during a day of autocross. This is why I am looking at a caliper specific paint.
It seems that there are two applications methods, you got spray and brush on. I think for ease of use I an considering a spray on product. For those painting already painted calipers, did you apply a primer on top of the existing caliper paint?
Brake Caliper Paint Question
the chapstick trick works well with G2 paint as well.
